Computer Science

Jeffrey Decker transferred to the College of Charleston expressly because of the computer science department. Since then, his knowledge and experiences in this field have been expanding at an amazing rate. What’s next? A role with Google? A position at NASA? At the College, the possibilities are nearly unlimited.

Jeffrey’s main interest is programming, and since arriving at the College he’s been amazed at just how much the computer science department does for its majors.

“When I first came here, I sat down with the department chair and discussed my interests. He knows so many people, and he can help you find the right fit for internships and research opportunities. The College of Charleston is a place that a lot of companies in this industry recognize now. We’re working closely with Google, and the department has connections with a lot of big companies in the field.”

Jeffrey was accepted into the department’s Innovations Lab, which means he gets to work on potential breakthrough applications. The lab also took a field trip to Atlanta to tour the Google complex, where Jeffrey made important connections. Later, when a couple of summer internship opportunities didn’t pan out, the department offered him a part-time job and he spent two months preparing graphics for various courses and learning the nuances of the College’s super cluster – a group of computers all over campus that are networked together. “I also learned about the Unix system that we run. Yes, it was a job, but also a great learning opportunity. And that’s important. The professors here are definitely concerned with your development as a student, yet they also want to ensure that after graduation, you’ve got real-world, professional experience to rely on.”

In a class on universal modeling language, Jeffrey was part of a group that created software to support a theoretical alarm clock and AM-FM radio. “We started with the basics – a fundamental idea – and then diagrammed out use cases, i.e., what users would do in certain situations. Ultimately, by the end of the course, we pulled it all together into a user interface. For me, it was another cool preparatory experience because working in groups, and this kind of collaboration, is very much akin to what happens in the working world.”

Program Information

At the College, computer science is more than writing code and building robots. It’s the blending of computational principles and human creativity with the application of computing technologies. Our professors actively recognize that problem solving and logistical reasoning form the core of this unique discipline. That’s reflected not only in their diverse research, but in their classrooms as well where they challenge and support students. Our majors are offered unparalleled opportunities for independent study and internship experiences that prepare them to succeed in a broad array of fields well beyond the computer industry.